Overview
The Dorner AquaPruf 7600 VBT is a sanitary vertical belt conveyor engineered for facilities that need to elevate bulk products through steep inclines and fully vertical runs. Built by Dorner, this stainless steel incline conveyor delivers the kind of sanitary performance that food, pharmaceutical, and chemical processing operations demand — all while keeping cleaning time and water usage to a minimum.
Whether your production line needs to move fruits and vegetables, grains and nuts, pet food, popcorn, pharmaceuticals, or small packages to an elevated discharge point, this FDA-compliant washdown conveyor handles it with precision. It replaces traditional bucket elevators with a cleaner, more efficient belt-driven approach that reduces product loss and simplifies maintenance.
Sanitary Design and Construction
Sanitation is non-negotiable in food-grade environments, and the AquaPruf 7600 VBT is purpose-built to meet that standard. The frame is constructed from continuous TIG-welded 304 stainless steel with a #4 polish on all surfaces, eliminating crevices where contaminants could harbor. The open frame and tool-less design allow sanitation teams to access every surface for thorough cleaning without special equipment.
The drive gearmotor is strategically mounted on the main column outside the food drop zone, keeping mechanical components separated from the product contact area. Every belt component and plastic part used in the AquaPruf series is FDA approved, making this vertical conveyor belt system well suited for food-grade and pharmaceutical environments that require compliance with strict hygiene standards.
Staggered Sidewall Belt Technology
At the heart of this sanitary incline conveyor is the staggered sidewall belt — a Dorner-engineered advancement that delivers 15% more pocket capacity than a traditional sidewall belt. The self-releasing sidewall design improves product release at the discharge point, reducing residual buildup and product waste between runs.
The RF bonded staggered sidewall uses 80% less bond area than conventional designs, and individual sidewall sections can be repaired without replacing the entire belt. The clean-through sidewall design allows water and cleaning solutions to pass through the belt structure, cutting down both cleaning time and water consumption during washdown cycles.
Quick Belt Change and Maintenance
Production downtime during belt changes is a major concern in high-throughput facilities. The AquaPruf 7600 VBT addresses this with a quick-change open-frame design that allows a complete belt swap in approximately 20 minutes. Idlers and belt supports can be removed without tools, and the loose belt simply drops down the main column for extraction. No belt tensioning is required after installation, further reducing changeover time and getting your line back into production faster.
Applications
This vertical belt conveyor is designed for a range of sanitary processing applications where product needs to be moved to an elevated discharge point. Common uses include elevation for walk-through clearance beneath conveyor runs, hopper feeding into mixers or packaging equipment, weigh scale feeding for portioning systems, and any environment that requires frequent high-pressure washdown sanitation. Industries that benefit most include food processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, chemical handling, and pet food production.
Specifications
The AquaPruf 7600 VBT is available in a range of configurable dimensions to match your facility layout. Infeed and exit lengths range from 20 inches to 72 inches in 1/8-inch increments. Heights span from a minimum of 16 inches to a maximum of 240 inches (top of belt), also in 1/8-inch increments. Belt widths are available from 12 to 24 inches in 2-inch increments.
Belt speed reaches up to 100 ft/min, with solid urethane belting featuring 2-inch pitch positive drive lugs. Each belt includes 3.5-inch tall RF-welded scoop cleats and 3.5-inch tall RF-welded staggered sidewalls. Pocket spacing is configurable from a minimum of 6 inches to a maximum of 18 inches in 2-inch increments.